Should there be a mosque at ground zero?

[Bill W (2)]

has blighted the USA's view of the world and those it sees as unfortunate not to be born Christian or Jewish, ever since.

America's paranoia.

Deep seated paronoia. McCarthy witch hunts etc.

Nonetheless 70% of Americans (source Times 16.8.10) are opposed to the building.

[madoqua]

Let people pray to whoever wherever as long as they don't force it on me.

I just think mosques look so horrid and out of place amongst UK architecture.

[Old Hob]

Just get rid of all religion. It disgusts me.

There is no beardy bloke looking down on us, but there WERE thousands of corpses dragged out of the twin towers rubble, and anything that relates remotely to the fairytales and intolerance that brought about their death is disgusting and primitive.

Science flies people to the moon

Religion flies people into buildings.

[Ze Stade Fan]

I think that Bill W - who started this topic - is just a grumpy old conservative which in this case deserves a fatwah : he is condemned to support newcastle until they win the premiership (i forgot, is your premiership Aviva this season ?)

[Bill W (2)]

I think that Bill W - who started this topic - is just a grumpy old conservative )

I will plead guily to two of those three!

I am not worthy of a fatwah!

[fleabane]

"Al-Qaeda's cause is not Islam."

The previous worst extremist atrocity in the USA was the Oaklahoma bombing - carried out by card carrying, Uncle Sam loving, God fearing, Good 'ole white boys, born in the US of A.

Ban churches in Oaklahoma?

Or was their cause not Christian?

[Bill W (2)]

"Al-Qaeda's cause is not Islam."

The previous worst extremist atrocity in the USA was the Oaklahoma bombing - carried out by card carrying, Uncle Sam loving, God fearing, Good 'ole white boys, born in the US of A.

Ban churches in Oaklahoma?

Or was their cause not Christian?

There are not too many Japanese restaurants in Pearl Harbour!

[Kinoulton]

I think that's a good point Bill, albeit made in jest, which is often the best way of making people understand.

If I was to make a tourist visit to Mecca wearing a Guantanamo Bay style orange suit, then people would be very upset, even though I had technically done nothing wrong.

Similarly, building a mosque near Ground Zero is not wrong as such, but it is crass, ignorant, and utterly unnecessary in a country which is not exactly short of building sites elsewhere.

[fleabane]

How near is near? The site is over 2 blocks away!

3 blocks?

Someone will complain, whatever.

No Japanese restaurants, Bill, but lots of Japanese American sailors!

[Bill W (2)]

Someone will complain, whatever.

True but when 70% complain I think it is reasonable to suppose it is unpopular.

[Ze Stade Fan]

The problem is not whether the mosque is popular, the question is whether it is legal. It is. So let a mosque be there. I hope they have a catering section with mint tea and couscous.

[Bill W (2)]

The problem is not whether the mosque is popular, the question is whether it is legal. It is. So let a mosque be there. I hope they have a catering section with mint tea and couscous.

Legal? From a Frenchman?

I am quite sure the New York authorities could find a reason to deny planning/use permission if they were so minded!

[Kinoulton]

Of course you can build a mosque wherever.

You can also think of the thousands and thousands of grieving relatives who lost wives and husbands at 9/11 and wonder how they will feel at seeing a mosque built two blocks from the scene of what was more or less an act of genocide.

If Muslims are capable of thinking about this, they won't even think about building a mosque when there are so many other potential sites that will not cause offence.